We’ve Got Your Gay Christmas Content for the Rest of the Holiday Season
What could be a better present than a gay Christmas movie? ‘Tis the season for gift-swapping, mistletoe and charming romantic comedies featuring (most likely) a tough-but-lonely city dweller and the down-to-earth country boy that steals their heart. There’s a reason so many stories — holiday-centric or not — follow this exact formula: it’s heartfelt, it’s earnest and it works. Every. Time. We love films like Sweet Home Alabama, films that feature second-chance romances and childhood sweethearts. And we would love these films even more if they centered around gay romance.
This year, we kinda got our wish. LGBTQ stories are being told more than ever, though it must be said that racial diversity has plummeted. Hopefully centering film narratives around gay relationships is a trend that can not only continue, but open itself up to more representation.
Check out our roundup of gay Christmas movie specials and other gay Christmas content below:
Happiest Season (Hulu)
This movie is a wild ride from start to finish, marketed as a romantic comedy but venturing more into the family drama genre. Abby, played by Kristen Stewart, plans to propose to her girlfriend Harper when they go home for the holidays to meet Harper’s family, but Harper hasn’t come out to her conservative family yet. At times both poignant and funny, Happiest Season features the sexiest Aubrey Plaza any of us have ever seen, and is available to watch now on Hulu. (Also, check out Hornet’s review of the film here.)
The Christmas Setup (Lifetime)
Lifetime’s first-ever gay Christmas movie follows the tried-and-true formula of rom-coms everywhere. When Hugo, an attorney from New York, goes back to Milwaukee to to spend the holidays with his mother (played by Fran Drescher), he isn’t expecting to run into old crush Patrick. The most heartwarming part? The two leads, played by Ben Lewis and Blake Lee, are real-life partners.
Drag Queen Christmas (Streaming On Demand)
Typically, each holiday season a drag queen spectacular produced by Murray & Peter rolls across the country, bringing some of our favorite RuPaul’s Drag Race queens to our hometown. This year, thanks to COVID, the event is still happening, but it’s virtual. Drag Queen Christmas features 10 of your favorite Drag Race and Dragula queens performing fun holiday numbers. Watch it whenever you like by going to DragFans.com. We’re so there.
The Christmas House (Hallmark)
Dashing in December (Paramount Network)
The premise of this gay Christmas movie is so exciting to me personally that I almost can’t believe I didn’t just dream it up. A New York man goes back home to his small town for the holidays and meets dreamy ranch head played by Juan Pablo Di Pace. There’s tension, there’s immediate attraction tinged with uncertainty, there’s the general concept of attractive men wearing cowboy hats!! Also, Andie MacDowell is in this, and she can do no wrong.
The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Special (Streaming On Demand)
Two of our all-time favorite Drag Race alumnae are at this point renowned for their utterly genius holiday special, which typically tours onstage but this year is a streaming affair instead. As the special’s website proclaims, “There’s only room at the table for one Christmas ham,” and these two queens (and real-life besties) are gonna fight it out! (Through song and dance numbers, obviously.) Head to jinkxanddela.com to watch.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
While technically not a gay Christmas movie, this musical fantasy features an incredible cast, including Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key and THE Ricky Martin, and is joyful enough to be labeled “gay.” For those of you who are a little tired of romantic plotlines, Jingle Jangle has all the makings of a Christmas family classic: toymakers, magic and family.
What do you think of our gay Christmas movie (and other content) roundup? What are you most looking forward to watching this season?
